Raise the Hammer

Jason those case studies are all stadiums that were ACTUALLY built downtown. The north west end is not downtown. I would think north of York and you're now in residential except along James which might be considered downtown to as far as the CN train station, (refuse to call it Li*A Station).

San Diego is the one of the wealthiest and perhaps if not the fastest but fastest but the fastest growing 'wealthiest' cities. It's a beautiful city and does not have the social problems of Hamilton. Can't even be closely compared to any city in Canada. Maybe Hamilton should've oriented it's downtown closer to the water? Like, every other Great Lake city.... Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Chicago.

The LA example is interesting because LA Live, is home to the Lakers, Clippers and the Kings. Not football. And attached to hotels and downtown amenities. It is something Copps should aspire towards.

Columbus is a huge university city (lots of downtown campus and students, unlike Mac) and the capital of Ohio. Also the case study is a hockey arena. Something Mac and Copps should aspire towards. Also naming rights by Nationwide which is second biggest sponsor of Nascar, ironically something to consider.

Indianapolis, also a huge car racing fan city (Nascar and Indy). ".....with billions of dollars in public and private money invested in developments that include two major sports arenas, a track and field stadium and 10 other sports facilities, as well as a zoo, an aquarium, four retail complexes, five hotels and six major commercial office developments."

I guess you could call that a "mass convergence". Five hotels, six major office developments and four retail complexes!!.... those alone would dwarf our existing downtown. and a ZOO? Hamilton ZOO anyone? o right Kilmans or Lion Safari in the suburbs. I always thought 'Kilmans' was a strange name for a zoo are they live or stuffed animals?

One football stadium 'nearish' downtown is not going to produce anywhere near the results of these case studies. Copps hasn't done anything. IVW area has a dead school and a few pizza/sub places.

I also want to point out the language of those case studies, esp about LA> "In the late 1980s and early 1990s Los Angeles’ downtown was seen as an unattractive, dangerous place dominated by industrial plants, auto dealerships, aging office buildings and low-rent hotels." hmmm the tallest building in LA the Library Tower (now US Bank) was built in 1989 -- late 80s? aging office towers? The Wishire Hotel? Two California Place (designed by Canadian A Erickson) built in 1992... fourth tallest office tower. I don't understand the quote ... "in the late 80s early 90s..." which was a recession era too... plus all this downtown stuff is inches away from the Santa Monica freeway.

L.A. has always been a giant suburb, it's just a geographical reference to describe a large valley area in southern California. I think it's downtown population totals around 60,000 for a 'city" of 10,000,000. Hamilton's downtown population rivals LA's so where are these people coming from? Glendale, Burbank, Pasedena, Torrence, Santa Anna, Irvine, Riverside etc.

Comment edited by TreyS on 2010-07-08 13:58:42